Can Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) and Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a) Live Together?

Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) is a highly aggressive species (10/10), while Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a) is generally mild-mannered (3/10). This notable difference means Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) may occasionally assert dominance over Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a).

Large aggression gap (7 points) between Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) and Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a) increases stress risk for the more peaceful fish.

Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) and Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a) both frequent the Bottom (Substrate) region of the setup. This overlap can increase competition for space, so providing ample room and cover is important to keep both species comfortable.

Additional behavioural considerations to keep in mind: Aggressive fish may bully and stress shy, slow-moving species. Two territorial species may clash over territory, especially in smaller tanks.

Worth noting: Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a) is nocturnal and will be most active after lights-out, naturally reducing daytime encounters.

There is no temperature overlap between Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) (25–29°C) and Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a) (20–24°C). This fundamental mismatch makes long-term cohabitation impractical.

Both fish can tolerate a pH between 6.5 and 7.8. Maintaining a stable value within this band is more important than hitting an exact number.

For general hardness, the shared comfort zone is 5–18 dGH. Regular testing will ensure conditions stay within this range.

To house Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) and Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a) together, plan for an aquarium of at least 450 litres with a minimum length of 150 cm. This recommendation combines the stricter species minimums with a community-load allowance so the pairing has realistic long-term space and filtration headroom.

Providing a mix of open swimming space and sheltered areas with rocks, driftwood, or plants will keep both species comfortable and allow natural behaviour.

Specific environmental needs for this combination include: Sand (Sifters), Driftwood (Digestion/Hiding), Smooth Gravel (Sensitive Barbels), Established Algae (Otocinclus). Meeting these requirements will help both species thrive.

Both species do well with moderate (standard) water movement, so a standard filtration setup rated for the tank volume should suffice.

Red Terror (Festa's Cichlid) and Spotted Rubberlip Pleco (L187a) are the kind of pair that can look acceptable in a shop but become a maintenance problem at home. The main risk is not a single number in the chart; it is the way incompatible behavior, water needs, or pressure on space compounds over time once both fish are established in the same tank.